Abstract
The Smith–Lever Act of 1914 established a system of cooperative extension services to connect the land-grant universities to the people. Agricultural extension educators serve as the “front door” to the University, providing research-based information in a wide variety of agricultural topics such as livestock, crops, entomology, natural resources, etc. A bachelor’s degree in agriculture is a requirement for employment as an agricultural extension educator in most states. Generally, most new hires are knowledgeable in one or more areas and perhaps possess a degree focused in the same area. However, many educators are not fluent in all the agriculture sectors they are required to address on a daily basis. Our objective is to gradually develop an online in-service program specifically designed to strengthen educators’ knowledge and proficiency in basic beef cattle production. These courses will consist of five to ten modules each with an estimated five hours of course work per subject. The courses will include reading material, listening and visual material, interactive activities, and quizzes to aid in learning the basics. The Introduction to Beef Cattle Nutrition course is intended to enhance extension educators’ knowledge of the nutrient requirements of beef cattle, body condition scoring, ration calculation, etc. Extension educators will be expected to pass quizzes at the end of each module with an eighty percent or higher. Oklahoma extension educators will enroll in the Introduction to Beef Cattle Nutrition course during the 2020 calendar year and complete over a ten-week period. A survey at the end of each module will allow the authors to see how effective the course was, and if the representative feels more confident in discussing and helping producers with their herd nutrition upon completion.
RISK OF PREVALENCE OF DYSBIOSIS IN NUTRITION COURSE STUDENTS DURING COVID-19 QUARANTINE
